Indoor Training

Well, this should make some of my winter training a little easier -- or at least help me get my P2 homework done on rainy days. (Thanks, VKVIP Ashley Fischer for the trainer advice!) 

Now I just need Caro and Rebecca to come back and make it a party.

March is No Lamb

It's been a mixed week with a few workouts but not a whole lot of riding going on. P2 wrapped up on Wednesday with a final "test", and less-than-stellar results on my end, but I'll take it. I may not be faster this Spring, but Shayne and P2 got me through this brutally endless winter, so I'm o.k. with that. (Kudos to Lila for crushing P2 this winter.) I was a lot stronger a year ago at this time, but I haven't gone too far off the rails, so all is not totally lost. I know what I need to do to pull it together.

Today I ended up in Nancy's spin class after getting a text late last night from The Queen, asking if I was interested in spinning in the morning. (Uh... no... but... yes... o.k.) I quickly logged into the reservation system and snagged the last two spots that were open and we had a great workout early today. When spin ended, The Queen joined the Total Abs workout that followed, while I ditched it... hahaha. I'll do better next week. Abs?? No need to rush things. Summer isn't coming anytime soon.

"Have either of you seen my Walkman?"

Of course they always know I mean my iPod, (and Chip will usually tease, "Maybe it walked away... man.") Hahaha.

Today I got in an hour on the spin bike at the Y with another rider. We didn't have music, so he hooked up my iPod to the sound system and chose a playlist labeled 1hr Mix. Nice to have company today -- it turned my quick ride, (while Will was in the pool), into an hour-plus.

The Friday Playlist

• Red Eyes (The War on Drugs)
• Think of You (Ms Mr)
• Shake it (Metro Station)
• Unconditional (The Bravery)
• Giants (Bear Hands)
• Land (Milwalkie)
• Substitution (Silversun Pickups)
• 1901 (Phoenix)
• Gold Gun Girls (Metric)
• Supernatural Supergirl (Josh Kramon)
• Fader (The Temper Trap)
• Miracle Mile (Cold War Kids)
• On Our Way (The Royal Concept)
• Watch Out for This (Major Lazer)
• Love is All I Got (Feed Me & Crystal Fighters)
• Riptide (Vance Joy)

Closing out the Week

Paleo Prep Day

Today I ticked off a little more distance on all three legs of the Tri Inside The Y, beginning my day with 20 miles on the bike in Nancy's spin class. (I headed in 15 minutes early to squeeze in extra miles.) I followed up with 2,500 meters of rowing, and finally got on the treadmill for 2.5 miles. I'm way behind on my running, and will try to squeeze in extra miles this week.

It was a cold day, and I listened to the Patriots game while prepping breakfasts and lunches for the week ahead. Mike was away in Atlanta all last week, so I needed to do a full-on paleo prep day to set us up for the week. Salads, grilled chicken, cut veggies and pre-prepped chicken for stir fry, hard boiled eggs, paleo mayo, caulifower rice, sweet potato spirals, two versions of apricot energy bars (one chocolate chip and the other cranberry almond), carrot gingerbread muffins, and homemade cinnamon applesauce. Done.

Sunday's ride postponed

Our cold rainy Sunday gave me a good excuse not to get on Will's bike for my last distance ride today -- but it didn't excuse me from attending Chipper's football game. ("Perfect football weather, Mom.") Standing on the sidelines in the wind and drizzle was maybe slightly better than a 40 mile ride on Will's bike... but just barely.

(More rain tomorrow. I have a spin bike reserved in the morning for back-to-back workouts.)

Another Wet Day

My cycling shoes are really starting to stink from all of the wet weather we've been having. Fortunately, they didn't stink enough to force Keli to kick me out of spin class this morning, (where I ended up after waking to another morning of clouds and showers. We're stuck in a wet weather pattern, here.) Thanks, Kel, for the great workout! I'm hoping to get out on the road later today for a quick ride, but with the gray skies and a busy afternoon schedule, it's not looking promising.

Brrrrrr... It's Cold!

Typical New England weather. Last week's glorious tease of Spring made this week of dark clouds, fog, drizzle, hail and cold rain seem endless. Doesn't it feel like winter is hanging on? Not only are the Bruins still playing, (yaaay!)... I'm tempted to put the heat back on, (boooo!).

Despite my training plan for the week, the wet weather forced me to take a few of my workouts indoors. Today, with our Cyclopath ride cancelled, I took a chance at getting into a spin class during the boys' swim team practice at the Y. (There is typically a lengthy waitlist for weekend spinning, so my odds at getting a bike were slim.) After I mentioned to the instructor that I was on the waitlist, fellow rider, Jack, offered me his bike if I didn't get into the class! (It was such a sweet gesture -- Thanks, Jack!) Fortunately, I did squeak off the waitlist -- so he and I both had a good workout. It wasn't what my coach had in mind for this week, but I did the best I could. I think the sun returns on Monday.

Update 5/26: Ellen and Cape Cod Mike (CCM) received snow last night in Laconia! Crazy!

Jelly for Muscles

We had a mixed-weather-weekend with a lot of rain -- which was good for the garden but not so great for long rides. Still, I managed to log in over 50 miles on the weekend, (with Keli's killer spin class hitting just under 20 miles -- too many hills!) I'm totally beat today. (I think transplanting daisies are what really did me in.) Unfortunately, I'm planning to ride with Shayne & S1 tonight so he can assess my training. I'm not sure my muscles will recover by 6 tonight... I'm feeling very much like Spongebob today.

First Day of "Spring" -- Encrusted in Ice

"If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction... you live in New England." -- Jeff Foxworthy

Keeping it indoors this week -- intervals, conditioning and spin. This weather is getting old.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Our "Annual" St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Ride turned into a breakfast rather than a ride on Saturday. On Friday night, I received a bunch of messages from folks telling me it was too cold to ride. Even Ethan sent me an email to say it was too early and too cold.*

I didn't really want to ride alone. Ed and I exchanged emails and agreed to touch base in the morning -- but at 7 am when I spoke to him, I learned he's been fighting an ear infection. Knowing the (27 degree) cold would probably make it worse, we decided to drive to the airport to meet the rest of the 'paths for breakfast. It was nice to see folks and catch up on the latest news. Bruce even made it to breakfast and we talked about bikes for a while. Who happened to show up on his bike? Ethan. Of course. *Damn, him! 

My rides were mostly indoors this week with some weight training and core work thrown in. I had a quick 20 mile loop through Marblehead and Salem on Wednesday that ended with a flat in my own neighborhood. (Thanks, Salem Cycle, for the quick fix.) This weekend has been a little lazy... though Nancy's spin class at the Y was rockin' the Irish music this morning. Fun! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Bingo! I've got Bingo!

With rain/snow/cold expected to cancel our St. Patrick's Day Ride on Saturday, I decided to try and reserve a spin bike at the Y as a back-up plan. Just as I did last week at 7:15 a.m., I stationed myself at the keyboard and logged into the spin class reservation system. By total chance, I actually landed one of the coveted spots in Sarah's spin class at the Y... seconds later, the class was full. 40 reservations for 21 spots. Crazy.

Ebay and the Spin Class Res System

Trying to grab one of the 21 spin bikes at the Y on the weekends is like making a last-minute winning bid on Ebay. The 8:15 Saturday class opened for reservations at 7:15 this morning, Thursday. (They use an online reservation system.) I sat down at my computer and logged in at 7:12... waited until the clocked ticked to 7:15, and punched the "enter button" to create my reservation.

I'm number 10 on the WAIT LIST. Apparently, 30 other people were hovering over their keyboards and pressed "Enter" before me. Argh.

Snow is falling again and will continue through Friday. An outdoor Frostbite Ride ride is iffy for Saturday -- hence my back-up plan to hit the Y. (Didn't Mike promise a 50 degree day on Saturday? Ha ha ha... ten day forecast.)

Weekend Spin -- No Outdoor Ride Today

Today I had a small blast from the past when former Fusion Fitness owner, Annalisa diPalma, substituted for Keli's spin class. Annalisa was the first spin instructor I ever had, back in 2006. (Spinning, April 1st Training Ride, April 2006.) The Marblehead Y didn't offer spin classes back then, and the Sterling Y was a hike. (Though at the time, I made weekly trips to Sterling for Chip's swim lessons. He was convinced there was a shark living in the deep end of the Marblehead pool.) I went to Fusion Fitness for a little while but never got into a routine. It was fun to see Annalisa today, teaching our class at the Y. How quickly time flies!

Another storm is brewing -- More snow/rain tomorrow.

More of the White Stuff

Seriously... my patience with winter is wearing thin. I touched based with faithful frostbiters Ethan and Ed this week to see if either would brave the salt-sand-ice encrusted roads this morning. E-man was heading north for some skiing and Ed is battling a cough, so I knew I was on my own. (Frostbite candidate Anne is off climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. For real. I have cool friends.)

I woke up to dry roads and decided to grab a quick cup of coffee before bundling up and heading out for a solo ride. Coffee in hand, I looked out my kitchen window to see a single large snow flake float down in front of me. "Huh.", I thought. "That was random." I stepped away from the window to finish my coffee, and before I knew it, the snow was flying. OMG, I can't stand it! I just wanted a simple ride! Another Frostbite Ride postponed... (Will have to take it indoors this weekend.)

Blizzaster* Approaching

We're stuck indoors this weekend as winter gives us a good dumping of snow. We've had big storms before, and this one will be no different, but I'm already feeling some anxiety. The ski bus to Ragged Mountain was cancelled tomorrow, so the boys will be home all weekend. (They've hunkered down with recharged iPods, laptops and a stack of PlayStation games. Heaven forbid they read a book.) So why my anxiety? Well, I'm on Day 18 of a Whole30 (Paleo) Challenge, (a nutritional "reset", if you will) and girl scout cookies arrived on Monday. I've been really good about staying committed to the Whole30 -- no grains, dairy, processed food, etc. -- but I'm nervous about being stuck in the house all weekend with boys and cookies. It's going to be a tough one. And no riding on Saturday on top of it all. Arrghhh.....

So I went to the Y this morning to clear my head -- a 55 minute spin class, followed by 5,000 meters of rowing. (I hadn't done any rowing since the Tri.) I ran into my friend Ana, who'd noticed I'd been at the gym for a while. She asked, "Are you afraid to go home?!" I looked around and saw three other moms on the fitness floor and replied, "Aren't we all?!" (Just waiting for the snow...)

*Blizzaster coined for the impending storm by the talented William Noble.

Winter is still inching along... Hello, February.

Last week I managed to chalk up a lot of indoor miles due to the MLK holiday, bitter temperatures, and a broken furnace that drove me to the gym. As the week ended, I logged in 118 miles on the trainer/spin bikes. This week, however, my training log consists of a lot of cross-training; muscle conditioning with Christine & Keli (Mon & Thurs.), snowboarding on Tuesday, and a couple of spin classes -- nothing like last week.

Snowboarding has been awesome. Everything just "clicked' for me this week and I mastered tighter turns with more control. (Love my instructor, Joe. Such a cutie.) The snow we had at the beginning of the week, (which was great for snowboarding), melted from a huge shift in temperature on Wednesday, clearing the roads for a ride tomorrow. Temps are chilly again -- in the 30s with a brisk wind -- but I think we're riding! (Wahoo!) Snow is expected to hit us again Sunday, so it'll be good to get out on the roads while we can. We still have February and March to get through before Spring arrives...

Brrrrrr... Frostbite Ride Postponed

With the temps not expected to climb beyond the low 30s -- and strong wind gusts bringing the wind chill into the 20s -- I cancelled today's Cyclopath frostbite ride... (though Ed was willing to ride!) Hopefully we'll have a better shot at it next weekend.

Instead, I rode indoors today, barely nudging off of the wait list for the 10:40 spin class at the Y. Rushing out of the house, I left my bike shoes, towel, and water bottle at home. Ack! Fortunately, I found a partially full Camelbak bottle on top of Chip's lacrosse bag in the car, and quietly said a prayer that it wasn't contagious with the stomach bug that has been sweeping through the school. Fingers crossed.

The spin class was.... meh. The music was so loud it felt like I was in the front row of a Van Halen concert. (I still have the song, Panama, stuck in my head.) I could barely hear the instructor, (though she was clearly yelling), and had to rely on the people around me to figure out what was going on. Towards the latter half of the class, I gave up and just rode my own ride -- and was reaching for the Excedrin when I got home. My ears are still ringing.

Spinny Spin Spin

I've never really enjoyed spin classes. Riding a stationary spin bike, for me, is analogous to a treadmill for most runners. I'd rather be out on the road. Still, the cold weather and a consistent time commitment makes spin class ideal through the winter. I started spinning regularly in November while working on the Tri Inside the Y, and finally realized that the key to spinning success is finding the type of instructor that really fits you and your kind of ride.

Some people like the bootcamp approach -- spin instructors who scream directives like drill sergeants -- but that doesn't work for me. After trying out several different classes, I've found the right fit and terrific instructors; Lisa (Tuesdays at the Y) leads a great class, though it currently conflicts with my Tuesday morning snowboarding; Keli, is now teaching a spin class on Thursdays; and I like Nancy for 2 classes, Fridays and Sundays. Nancy has a fun sense of humor, plays great eclectic music, and I find that I work harder in her class. Plus, she introduced me to using a heart rate monitor which has made my workouts more efficient. I actually find myself looking forward to spin classes these days. Who knew?

The weather looks good for our Cyclopath Frostbite Ride tomorrow. I believe Ethan is skiing... will I be riding solo in the morning or will Ed be joining me? We'll see tomorrow...

Tri Inside the Y Ironman Challenge - Week 2

The fitness challenge at the Y has been going well so far. I'm well ahead of my cycling goal, which is no surprise. On just the spin bikes alone, (not including Frostbite Rides), I'm averaging 60 miles each week. I should be finished with the cycling portion of the Tri on Tuesday, three weeks early.

I'm a little behind in the running, but will try and catch up this weekend... I'm not too worried about it. The rowing, however, is killing me! 25 minutes of rowing only nets me 4,000 meters.. I need to squeeze in an extra day of rowing somewhere and increase my resistance if I'm going to catch up. (I had a feeling that the rowing would be my downfall.)

A rainy weekend ahead -- tomorrow's Cyclopath Frostbite Ride will likely be cancelled.

Tri Inside the Y Ironman Challenge

I'm participating in the Tri Inside the Y Ironman Challenge this month at the LVO YMCA. I've committed to bike 112 miles, run/walk 26.2 miles and row 50,000 meters between now and December 31st. (I chose the rowing option over swimming.) I have 5 weeks to complete the challenge, which started Monday. It should keep me focused on fitness through the holidays... and maybe I'll earn a few butter spritz cookies along the way. (My favorite Christmas cookie in addition to gingerbread.) Unfortunately, my workout with Christine last night didn't include anything that would count towards my tri, but I'm on the bike today in spin class and will try and get that rowing started. 50,000 meters?!

UPDATE 11/30: Tracking the progress of my Ironman Challenge in the right-hand column, below the photo of Will. So far, so good.